Evaluation of microstructural, magnetic properties and surface/near-surface chemical state analysis of Mn-CuFe2O4 nanoparticle

Abstract

Nanocrystalline Mn substituted CuFe2O4 nanoparticles (MCFNPs) were synthesized using urea and egg white. The effects of heat treatment on crystal structure and magnetic properties have been studied using X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM). The single-phase cubic spinel structure of as synthesized MCFNPs was recognized from XRD profile. There are some impurity peaks in the annealed samples, which are the decomposition of the ferrites at higher annealing temperatures to the α-Fe2O3 phase. The crystallite size and Lattice parameter of the samples increases with annealing temperature. The crystallite sizes of the MCFNPs were found in the range ~10 to 55 nm. The morphology and particle size of the sample (annealed at 900 ℃) have been recorded through SEM and TEM. The secondary non-magnetic impurity phase influences the magnetic nature of the samples. The saturation magnetization (Ms) decreases at a temperature of 600 ℃ due to the presence of non-magnetic α-Fe2O3 phase. The surface / near-surface chemical states of the 900 °C annealed MCFNPs were analyzed using XPS within a range of 0-1000eV binding energies.